Workflow Management Software & Tools: Best List

Finding the best workflow management software and tools for your needs have a crucial role in your business because the goal of the workflow management system is to optimize your business processes in the most effective way.

Before making the comparison and select software vendors, you have a couple of things to think about.

For example: Free / open source program or you will buy one? What features the system have to cover – document management, automation and tracking process, accounting or creative needs, agency goals, task and project management or others? Simple workflow application software or all-in-one solutions? Online, web & cloud-based or installed on PC? For large enterprise or small business? and etc.

Some of the best workflow management software and tools

Suitable for companies of all sizes – from large enterprise to small business, from public administrations to freelancers.

Simple and user-friendly system.

Easy Integration – ProWorkflow integrates with all the tools you need such as Xero, QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Freshbooks, and more…

This workflow system includes all the features of a traditional project management solution: timeline, mobile time tracking to complete tasks and communication on the move, timesheet, project and task management, resource management, reporting, training, Gantt style timeline and etc.

If you aim to find an all-in-one solution for both project and workflow management, Planio is a really good software of choice.

It is a highly configurable software, so you are able to run your workflow in your way.

From powerful role-based permissions system to Project Manager-friendly planning tools (workflows, roadmaps, and milestones), Planio’s task management functionality is easy to use yet powerful enough to handle projects of any size.

Very user-friendly interface with a lot of powerful features.

You can create powerful workflows that define available steps based on roles.

If you need unprecedented control and visibility over your critical business operations, TrackVia is among the workflow management tools that can provide it with ease.

Cloud-based database and application platform that makes it easy to collect and analyze data in real time.

Easily create custom workflows for virtually any operational process.

Built-in business intelligence allows you to visualize all of your workflow data in real time via charts, graphs and more, so you can identify problems, remove bottlenecks or take action to increase efficiency.

Automation– automates tasks, work orders, alerts or steps through an event- or data-based triggers.

Flokzu is a cloud-based solution to define and automate processes (workflows) involving documents among people in organizations or teams performing different tasks.

It lets you centralize every form, document or file in just one place, search through them, manage pending tasks and create alerts, eliminating the need of complex spreadsheets and endless email threads.

The tool allows you to execute, automate and analyze document processes.

You can automate multiple processes in Flokzu, such as: Identification of Business Opportunities, Employee Recruitment, Report Software Incidents, Approval of Contracts, Commercial Monitoring and more.

Bitrix24 is web-based workflow software that’s 100% free for up to 12 users.

It’s available both in cloud and on-premise and comes both with standard workflows (leave requests, business trips, expense approvals and reimbursements, basic helpdesk, purchasing) and custom workflows.

Bitrix24 is ready to be used in 30 seconds and doesn’t require complicated setup.

Importantly, it supports your corporate structure and automatically builds workflows based on the hierarchies (i.e. it assumes that leave requests have to be approved by supervisors first before they are forwarded to HR department.

How to choose the best workflow management tools?

Choosing the best workflow management software tool for your company depends, entirely on your needs.

If your organization have many and complex business processes you need an all-in-one solution that include a lot of features besides workflow ones.

Large sized organizations have a range of advanced requirements such as integration needs for example. They need to search for workflow software with high levels of features and capabilities.

But if you are a small business owner a simple workflow system can work great for you.

Before choosing your workflow software carefully examine all the features it provides and think about how they fit your needs.

Anyway, there are some basic features and capabilities that any good workflow software should provide.

Here is a list of them:

Easy and quick workflow setup and process creation. It is great if the system provides drag & drop Workflow Editor. The setup should be intuitive and simple and shouldn’t require a consultant to help you through it.

Role-based access control – Every Workflow Management System should allow customizing what each user can see and edit. In that way, different roles and responsibilities in the company will have different type and scope of access to the tool. Do not forget that any organization has sensitive information that is not supposed to be shared with everyone.

Notifications – the workflow tool you’re searching for should have the ability to remind all users (mostly via e-mail) and to notify them of upcoming dates, made changes, updated features, approvals, progress, steps and etc. In our hectic business life, this is absolutely crucial feature.

Document integration and management – this one allows all work-related files to be saved and edited. A cloud-based documentation application has capabilities of storage and changes and also some provide chat option between users and team members.

Integration with other systems and cloud services – this is a key feature with a huge importance because your workflow process does not exist independently of other business processes and you need to synchronize your projects and activities. The top and best workflow management software integrate seamlessly with systems like Quickbooks, SalesForce, Google Calendar, Freshbooks, Xero and etc.

Full reporting and analytics. To be a workflow system effective, it should provide a high level of reporting and analytics. Reports help decision making and optimization of resources.

Graphical representation and visualization – this function is very important because the graphical interface makes complete sense of the business processes and allows you to see the overall picture in a clearer way. Best workflow management systems should provide graphical simplicity. You have to be able to run a report easily with an included graph.

The flexibility of workflow patterns – the system should give you the possibility to tailor a process to your needs. Tou should be able to model workflows in a variety of ways. Every company and business have its own workflows, and their workflow management tool have to handle customized patterns to fit the specific needs and processes.

Finding the best workflow management software system for your needs can provide you with a lot of benefits and the major of them are: reduced errors, improved efficiency, and enhanced overall business performance.

Keep the above features in mind when you are searching and compare software and always ask yourself if the workflow system can cover your specific needs and requirements. Once you get the right tool, efficiency and results will make a great difference to your business.

About the Author Marin Valchev

Marin Valchev, PMP is an IT Project Manager with more than 10 years of experience. He implements cutting-edge technology in a wide-range of Financial and TELCO companies in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Marin shares his knowledge of software, analysis, project management and other business areas.

Discussion

Thank you very much Mr. Marin Valchev for sharing wonderful information about workflow automation software. It was helpful for me and hopes all of the readers get benefit from this blog. I founded here 15 names in workflow software and I suggest one more name to add in this list Syscon-Inc workflow automation software. They are best at what they are having experience of more than 30 years.

Hi, Thank you for this information. Personally, I do not have experience with Syscon-Inc and that’s why it is not on my blog. Anyway, I will try its demo and will gather information from my colleagues. So maybe I will include it in the future.